Never Gone
by Reign
Summary: Every year, they came to honor the memory of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. This year, Ted Lupin made it special.


**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling owns everything.

**Author's Note: **Post _Deathly Hallows_. This was another piece I felt was _absolutely_ necessary to write in honor of two very fantastic and memorable characters whose deaths were so abrupt.

I'm aware the dates are inaccurate, bear with me. Feel free to submit the correct ones however.

**Dedication: **To families of all shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties.

**Never Gone**

By Reign

They landed in Godric's Hollow without incident, and Harry clutched the boy's hand tightly to spare him a rough tumble when they got off the broomstick.

She landed just a few seconds later and straightened her fiery red hair.

"We won," the man dared to quip.

"That was _so_ cool!" the boy commented excitedly, his hair disheveled from the rough and tumble ride.

"Honestly now Harry, I _hardly_ think swooping under that bridge was necessary," Ginny chided him, dusting her robes and then kneeling down to straighten Ted's hair. Ted was far too excited to stand still, using animated hand gestures to describe the maneuvers his father had done not more than a few minutes ago.

"I want my own," the boy continued. "You know I'm really good and I'm old enough, I'm almost eleven. Can I have one for my birthday, dad? _PLEASE_?" he pleaded.

"Don't ask me, ask your mom, Ted. She _always_ knows best," Harry replied, as if it earned him a reprieve from his wife. He shouldered his broomstick and led them towards the cemetery.

Ginny rolled her eyes and handed Ted his Chudley Cannons messenger bag, taking his hand and falling into step with Harry.

"Aw, but that'll be _never_!" Ted pouted, as they trotted along.

"Great, make me the villain now, why don't you?" Ginny asked, shooting Harry not just a look, but _the_ look. "That's two strikes within two minutes, Potter."

He smiled meekly and kissed her on the cheek. "You're beautiful," he declared, avoiding the disgusted look on Ted's face.

"That won't _always_ work, you know," she replied, blushing a charming shade of red.

"I know," Harry replied with a grin, taking Ted's other hand.

Godric's Hollow had changed over the years as a village with immense history, not just to Harry, but to the entire wizarding world as well. For better or worse, the quiet village had transformed into more of a historical landmark, adorned with statues and memorials to those who had died honorably. The buildings were preserved with powerful charms and tourists could take an educational tour if they chose, which meant that Harry had to time his visits to avoid undesirable attention. The cemetery was the main attraction of the village since it contained the graves of many known heroes: James and Lily Potter, but with the addition of extra headstones for Sirius and other comrades who wanted this to be their final resting place. On this particular day, Harry was relieved to arrive during a quiet afternoon where most of the residents and guests were busy at lunch.

Ted Lupin was officially his Godson, but Harry had raised him like his own-- with much help from the wonderful Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda Tonks of course-- and the boy was very special in his heart. It was only recently that Ted began calling Ginny 'mom', much to Ginny's delight, not long after their marriage became official. It was the icing on the cake, and Harry looked affectionately at the two people who now comprised his new family. The only knowledge Ted had of his real parents were stories told to him by friends and family alike, and stacks of pictures from newspapers and photo albums. But no matter how much praise he heard of them, there was no substitute for the real thing. Harry's heart ached with the knowledge that Ted suffered a fate similar to his—orphaned at a young age not by natural causes, but by murder. But also like Harry, he was surrounded by a makeshift family-- one that loved him equally in every way, shape and form. Harry flashed a sad smile to himself when he passed his own parents' graves, and though he was tempted to visit them, it was not the purpose of today's visit. These visits were routine and done annually at the anniversary of the deaths, Harry and Ginny made it an absolute priority.

Today, however, was slightly different than other days.

Today, Ted had prepared something special.

Harry looked down at the child whose hand he was holding and realized that they were no longer leading the boy, the boy was leading them.

Their destination was in the form of two headstones, side by side, and made of white marble. They read, simply:

Remus John Lupin

Born 10 March 1960

Died 14 June1998

&

Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin

Born 12 March 1970

Died 14 June1998

_Fallen, but never forgotten._

Harry stopped short of the graves, released Ted's hand, and ruffled his hair a bit. Today, he could go no further, and Ginny, who could read his emotions, understood this.

Ted paused in step and looked up at his Godfather, slightly confused.

Ginny offered him a smile and then nudged him gently. "Go ahead, Ted," she encouraged. "Go on now."

The little boy nodded and walked away from Harry and Ginny, stopping short of his parents' graves. He opened his tiny messenger bag and carefully extracted a scroll. He straightened it and the cramped writing of a child became easily visible. Ted had spent a lot of time and effort putting it together so that it sounded right, and he had allowed no one to see or hear it until now. He prepared it all on his own.

It was ironic how, despite the melancholy location, Ted was beaming from ear to ear. He cleared his throat, raised the scroll a bit, and began to read.

"Dear Mum and Dad," he started, "It's me, your son, Ted. I come here every year and I hope you two don't mind. I have some great news to share this time. I will be going to Hogwarts this year and I'm really excited to see where I get sorted. Uncle Ron says that I will be disowned if I get into Slytherin, but Aunt Hermione promises me that everyone will love me no matter what. Dad has been letting me practice on his broomstick on the weekends, and he says I'm getting really good! I really want to join the Quidditch team at Hogwarts and maybe be a Keeper. Or a Chaser. Or a Seeker. Or anything, really, I just want to play …"

Ted continued rambling on, but Harry drowned out his voice, feeling slight sorrow bubble inside of him with each word spoken. To a certain extent, and despite everyone's attempt to make him think otherwise, he felt a certain degree of responsibility when it came to the casualties of the Second War. Harry glanced at Ted and felt guilt slowly rising within him. He wondered if this was what Sirius felt when he was alive. His train of thought was derailed when he felt a warm hand take his own. He looked to the side to see Ginny's concerned eyes looking back at him. There was an unspoken question in that look, and Harry pondered whether he could simply play dumb and overlook it. He knew before he thought it that avoiding the question was impossible since Ginny simply knew him too well.

"The past creeping up on you again?" she asked in a low voice.

"Yes," he admitted, eyes falling on the two headstones.

"The past is better left as such."

"The past never stays where it's suppose to, Gin," he replied stiffly. "It always hounds those who have unfinished business with it."

"Unfinished business? I thought we tied all the loose ends ten years ago rather well and in dramatic fashion, don't you?"

"I suppose," he murmured, still deep in thought. "I just wish ..."

"... That everything had ended exactly the way you wanted?" she finished for him. "That you could have saved everyone? You're the _Boy Who Lived_, love, not Superboy. And even Superboy couldn't have saved everyone in the world. You were absolutely brilliant back then. You still are."

He opened his mouth to refute her point, then lost the words and simply smiled.

"It wasn't your fault. Let it go," she continued soothingly, as Ted kept reading in the background. She wrapped her arm around his waist.

"I just wish ... I could talk to them again, like I did my mum and dad," Harry finally confessed.

"For what, Harry? To apologize profusely?"

At first, yes, that was what he wanted to do. But then, something else came to mind.

"To ask if we're doing right by them," he replied, gazing at Ted's back. At the moment, the boy was squinting hard at the scroll to make out a long word he wrote.

"Harry, we've done a wonderful job with Ted, and he'll grow up a great man as long as we steer him clear of Ron's influence," she flashed a wry smile. "They'd be so proud to see their son grow up in a world that they, and many others, sacrificed so much for. A world with peace."

_Peace_. That word in particular struck Harry, and he nodded in agreement, tasting a few tears that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Ginny reached over and wiped them for him, her touch was gentle, and he nuzzled his cheek against hers as it alleviated the pain. He felt his burden lighten, and was finally able to concentrate on Ted's words just as the boy was finishing.

"… Dad says that when people pass away, they don't really leave us. He says that as long as we love each other, we'll never be that far apart. I promise to make you proud, please watch over me.

I love you a lot.

I miss you everyday.

Love, _Teddy_."

The boy folded the scroll and slipped it neatly into an envelope. Then, with Ginny's help, together they pinned it down between the headstones where it would remain until they returned next year. And they would return next year, the same place, the same day, and the same time.

Ted gave his parents' grave one final look of longing, then grasped Ginny's hands.

"Hey dad … do you think they heard me?" Ted finally asked, as the three of them departed hand in hand.

Harry looked to Ginny despite already knowing the answer. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

His eyes then fell to the boy whose young face mirrored that of both his parents. The same parents, thought Harry, who had always treated him kindly when he was young, had always stuck by his side no matter what other people said, and had always watched over him like guardian angels during a time when fear and terror reigned. Parents, like Harry's own, who had made the ultimate sacrifice so that their son could have a better life. Harry would not disappoint Remus or Tonks, like Ted, he promised he would continue to make them proud everyday. And Harry always kept his promises.

"... I know they did, Ted, every word of it," Harry replied.

The boy beamed when he heard this.

"Let's go home."

**FIN.**

**Author's Note:** Please let me know what you think.


End file.
